


Worth Waiting For

by aquileaofthelonelymountain



Series: Bagginshield Waiter AU [1]
Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies)
Genre: Bilbo needs a hug (but from the right guy please), Blind Date, Both POVs, Fluff, M/M, Modern AU, Oblivious Bilbo, Protective Thorin, Thilbo, Thorin says he isn't pining but he totally is, a hint of angst, bagginshield, he's helplessly in love, waiter!Thorin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-28
Updated: 2017-03-07
Packaged: 2018-09-27 11:05:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,713
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10017047
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aquileaofthelonelymountain/pseuds/aquileaofthelonelymountain
Summary: Bilbo has always been suspicious about blind dates. This, however, seems to really promising: a nice evening in his favourite restaurant with a charming man. But when things start to get wrong, Bilbo wonders is this blind date was a good idea … And it’s not helpful at all that the waiter is that handsome!At the same time, Thorin keeps telling himself that it isn't his way to pine after someone. But soon, he finds himself trying to explain to Bilbo why he messed up his date on purpose...





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [badskippy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/badskippy/gifts), [nerdeeart](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=nerdeeart).



> Inspired by NerDee's waiter [NerDee's glorious waiter!Thorin](http://nerdeeart.tumblr.com/post/157633463961/aquilea-of-the-lonely-mountain). Go and read [Badskippy's AU](http://archiveofourown.org/works/9979064/chapters/22289279) as well, it's hilarious!! We both got inspired by this AU, and reading the version of a fellow shipper turned out to be really inspiring for me. Thanks again to both of you! :D
> 
> A quick note on names: I found it terribly difficult to come up with a name for Bilbo's not-so-nice blind date, so while writing I decided to use a kind of placeholder ... Annatar. And yes, it's one of the names of Sauron. At first I chose it as some kind of symbol for "a foul spirit in a fair form", but I started to like it and kept it. I'm not saying that our Bilbo is blind-dating the modern version of a great evil - but honestly: If you're threatening to get one part of your OTP together with someone wrong, you have to think BIG XD

 

_~ You usually have to wait for that which is worth waiting for (Craig Bruce) ~_

 

Maybe the idea wasn’t that bad after all.

The only reason why Bilbo Baggins had an online-dating account at all was to appease his relatives. Yes, he was a bachelor, and yes, he intended to change that, and no, there was no need to worry that he would spend the rest of his life miserable and alone, thank you very much. The account was a mere charade, though, something he could present to stop them from bickering about his life.

But now the whole affair had taken an unexpected turn.

It had begun with the letter icon on the dating site flashing, the animation making the envelope open and thus revealing the little heart that had been hidden inside. Thus, a man named Annatar had entered his life. His profile image looked charming, a tall and slender man with fair hair and pale blue eyes. The first impression was a good one, seeing how he stood at some beach and smiled into the camera. But – and that was more important to Bilbo – it turned out that he was charming, almost bewitching. The messages they exchanged didn’t touch serious topics, and yet Bilbo got the feeling that there was finally someone who understood him, who took him as he was. Soon he found himself looking forward to new messages.

Still, he had hesitated when Annatar had asked him out for a date. Wasn’t it too early for such a huge step? He wasn’t used to going on dates and flirting and all this. Moreover, his new acquaintance seemed to be what his aunts would call ‘a man of quality’, and Bilbo was afraid that he would say something stupid, or that his date would think him boring.

But, as if sensing his hesitation, Annatar proved himself to be quite the gentleman again and asked Bilbo to choose the circumstances of their date to give him a feeling of security and comfort.

Now they were here, looking at each other across the table, and Bilbo began to think that the idea wasn’t that bad after all. He had chosen _The Copper Kettle_ , his favourite restaurant. It was small, somewhat rustic, and very charming, more like a cosy tearoom than a fancy restaurant. The tables were covered with dark-red and white table cloths, flowers were arranged with great care, and the candles were alight. Coming inside was like entering a home.

Besides, Bilbo had become close friends with the owner and head cook, Bombur. He was a good-hearted fellow with a round face and an even rounder belly, and most of the employees were related to him. Although Bilbo was nervous about his date, he was sure that he would feel more comfortable when friendly, familiar faces surrounded him. He hoped it was Bofur’s shift – the quirky fellow with his funny moustache always managed to put a smile on Bilbo’s face. Or maybe Dori worked that evening – he was somewhat fussy, but he always had a friendly ear and some extra biscuits to go with Bilbo’s cup of tea.

Today’s waiter, however, was unknown to him.

He was tall, and the crisp white shirt and the black button up vest did little to convey his broad chest and the strong arms. His beard was neatly trimmed, and his dark hair was pulled back into a bun. The gaze of his deep blue eyes was steadfast, but he didn’t seem intimidating to Bilbo. In fact, his gaze was rather captivating.

 “Thorin, at your service”, he introduced himself with a velvet voice and a little bow.

“Good evening, Thorin”, Bilbo said with a smile. “Did you start to work here recently? I can’t remember seeing you before.”

“Two weeks ago”, the waiter replied. His answer was terse, but not unfriendly. It was softened further by the faint smile that played upon his lips as he handed them the menu.

“Are you related to Bombur as well?”

“Not really. But our families have known each other for a long time, and we grew up like cousins.”

Annatar coughed slightly, and Bilbo’s attention was drawn to him again. The tips of his ears felt hot – this was supposed to be a date, and he was chatting amiably with the waiter instead! But fortunately, Annatar didn’t bear any grudge against him, but showed him a smile. “Would you prefer red or white wine, Bilbo?”

“Red wine, please.”

“For me as well.”

Thorin took the order with a nod and headed for the kitchen. Bilbo found himself alone with his date for the first time. They had only met at the entrance of the restaurant, and their waiter had appeared rather quickly, barely leaving them a chance to exchange more than greetings. Suddenly his belly was tingling with nervousness.

“So”, Annatar began, “you come here often?”

“Y-yes. Not to dine, actually. I’m often here in the afternoon to have a cup of tea when I sit over my notebooks.”

“Your notebooks, I see. You mentioned that you’ve got a creative job, but you haven’t told me what you do exactly.” The slender man leaned forward, and he lowered his voice almost conspiratorially. “Will you reveal this secret to me?”

“I’m a writer”, Bilbo said quietly. His gaze immediately shifted to the pages of the menu. When hearing about his profession, most people reacted in a way he didn’t want to see: At first they stared at him before telling him vanities like how brave he was to follow his dreams instead of having a secure bread-and-butter-job like normal people had. Or they half-heartedly said that it was amazing, that they wouldn’t have the energy or the imagination to do something like that, and moved on to talk about something else.

Annatar, however, was different. “Really?” His amazement sounded honest, and it made Bilbo look up from the menu. The pale blue eyes didn’t convey the quiet resentment he was used to see … or the conviction that he was simply mad. “Do I know any of your works?”

“I-I’m not sure”, Bilbo answered, not used to such a reaction. “My first two books were children’s stories, you see. I also published a slim volume of poems, but I’m trying to write something different now … A historical novel, and … ahem …”

His stammering was interrupted as Thorin returned to their table. He did not only carry two glasses of red wine on his tray, but also a plate with delicate looking puff pastry pies.

“A first greeting from the kitchen for the both of you”, he explained, but his eyes were fixed on Bilbo as he spoke. “Would you like to order already?”

Bilbo looked at the menu again. “I’m afraid I couldn’t decide for a first course yet … Can you recommend me something, Thorin?”

“Today’s special is the sweet potato soup”, the waiter answered. “Bombur has outdone himself with it … although he will play it down when you tell him about it.”

Bilbo’s smile widened a bit. How did Thorin know that he loved sweet potatoes? Maybe he could read his mind. “I’ll trust you on this, both you and Bombur. And as the main course, I’d like the grilled chicken with spring vegetables, please.”

“Sweet potato soup and grilled chicken.” Thorin nodded dutifully. “A good choice.” Then, he turned to Annatar, and his voice seemed to cool down a bit. “And for you, sir?”

“The carpaccio, and the salmon with lemon sauce and rice.”

This time the waiter made no further comment, but took his tray and left.

“And, ahem, what do you do?”, Bilbo tried to continue their talk.

“I’m a controller”, Annatar answered, “which means that I mostly have to put up with numbers and figures, and meeting someone creative like you is a wonderful variety. Would you mind telling me more about it? Like, where do you draw the inspiration for your poems from?”

“Oh, that’s difficult to tell. I’m not quite sure how it happens … You know, it just _happens_. Sometimes it’s as simple as … as stepping in front of your door on an early spring day, breathing in the still chill air, and you just know what to write down …”

Early spring day? What was he talking about? Geez, how embarrassing! When Annatar gave the plate with the appetizers a slight nudge towards Bilbo like an invitation, he took one simply to have an excuse not to say anything for a few moments. But not even the taste of Bombur’s delicious mushroom pastries could distract him for long. He felt like a complete fool, and the date had hardly begun!

If Annatar thought the same, at least he didn’t show it. The interested smile hadn’t left his lips, and as they ate the pastries, he asked: “Have you always been a writer?”

“No.” Bilbo took a sip of his wine; he felt he needed it. “I’ve been fond of books since I was a child, so I started working in a bookstore. It was … a tough time for me. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still fond of books and bookshops and there are many lovely ones”, Bilbo said with a wave of his hand, “but the one where I worked turned out to be a horrible place. My boss was only interested in sales figures and used to blame me personally if we didn’t sell much on a day.”

“I know such guys well enough”, Annatar remarked dryly.

“Most of our customers weren’t friendlier either, I’m afraid. I was treated like a part of the inventory. It was horrible.”

Footsteps approached, and Bilbo’s memories of those gloomy days vanished as Thorin appeared in his field of vision. With a smile, the waiter placed a bowl of creamy soup in front of him. The smell was mouth-watering, and the thick slice of garlic bread looked delicious as well.

He thanked Thorin, and the waiter made a little bow. “Enjoy”, he said before putting a plate in front of Annatar and retreating again.

Bilbo took some spoons of the soup – it was delicious indeed – before continuing: “I worked there for almost two years. I spent every spare minute over my notebooks, writing like mad and hoping to find a way out of this misery. I still don’t know how I managed this … Sometimes I was so exhausted I could barely keep my eyes open. But my first manuscript turned out to be a success. I was lucky, very lucky indeed.”

He coughed slightly. He got the impression that he was talking too much about himself. His date didn’t seem to be bored or offended – in fact, Annatar’s face expressed interest and sympathy. But it couldn’t go on like this, so he tried to direct the conversation towards the other man and asked about his job. Bilbo had to admit that he had no clue about controlling, and Annatar’s talk about cash flow operations, contribution margins, and factory overheads only confused him more, although he tried to listen carefully. It sounded very responsible, and by now Bilbo was sure that his aunts would be delighted by his date indeed.

Their chatting was light and easy now, although Bilbo still had the impression that he did most of the talking. He couldn’t deny, however, that Annatar’s interest in him was flattering. He felt appreciated, and it was amazing how well his date seemed to understand him.

When they had finished their starters, Bilbo excused himself to go to the restroom. He felt light-footed, and he had his head in the clouds. In fact, he was so lost in thoughts that he only realized Thorin when it was too late, and he had already bumped into him.

“I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to –” The apology faded on his lips as he took a step back and actually looked into the waiter’s face. His dark hair was loose and fell in silky waves onto his shoulders. He looked gorgeous.

“Please, don’t apologize”, Thorin told him and quickly bent down to pick up a sky-blue hair tie; it had fallen to the floor during their collision. “I should know better than to tie back my hair just around a corner.” Some quick, practiced movements, and his hair was gathered into a bun again. He gave Bilbo a smile. “I hope everything is to your full satisfaction so far?”

“It is. It’s a pleasant evening. Thank you.”

Bilbo returned the smile before continuing his way to the restroom. While he was washing his hands, he eyed himself in the mirror. His face was flushed, and he shook his head in disbelief about himself. It was a strange thing, feeling like a teenager because of some nice words from nice company. And yet … It felt good.

Bilbo didn’t consider himself to be someone who caught the attention of other men at first sight. Maybe after a few conversations, and if he was complimented then, it was about his cleverness or something similar. Being told that he was charming was a nice diversion. He thought that he shouldn’t take such compliments too seriously, but he couldn’t help beaming, and he almost returned to their table with a little melody on his lips.

He was a bit disappointed when he noticed that Annatar hadn’t counted the moments to his return, but had looked on his smartphone instead. “I’m sorry”, he said as soon as he observed Bilbo, and put it away. “A message from a colleague.”

“At such a time?”, Bilbo asked, although he felt a bit silly. Had he really expected his date to await him that yearningly? Maybe it was better if he didn’t have another glass of wine.

Annatar shrugged. “Sometimes business knows no finishing time. But from now on, you have my undivided attention.” The look he gave him was almost piercing, and Bilbo quickly took a sip of wine despite his own resolution.

“I’m still fascinated that I met someone like you online”, Annatar began. “It’s not often that you find someone who’s not only decent, but lovely as you are.”

“I get your point”, Bilbo replied, not reacting to this compliment – it wasn’t that he wanted to be impolite, but he simply didn’t know what to answer. “Sometimes I get the feeling that everyone on such websites is just looking for … for a night of fun, but nothing serious.”

“And you’re not like them?” There was a twinkle in Annatar’s eyes that Bilbo couldn’t pin down.

“I – I’m …” Shyly, Bilbo lowered his eyes. “No, I’m not. I would like to meet someone who cares about me … for more than just one night.”

He broke off as Thorin arrived with their meal. His hair was tied back into the bun again except for a loose strand that followed the curve of his nape; Bilbo’s gaze was magically drawn to it. Therefore he didn’t notice the changed expression at once. The smile on Thorin’s face was somewhat forced, and the look of his deep blue eyes was troubled. Or was he just imagining things? “Enjoy your meal”, the waiter muttered and quickly turned on his heels.

Bilbo fought the urge to look after him and concentrated on Annatar instead. _He_ was his date, after all. “Enjoy your meal”, he echoed Thorin’s words and reached for knife and fork. It only took him one bite to sigh with content. Bombur’s meals were always delicious, and the chicken was no exception.

Annatar, however, seemed to be of a different opinion. He grimaced and reached for his wineglass. “Too much salt”, he complained after a big draught and raised his hand to attract the waiter’s attention.

Thorin was nowhere to be seen at the moment, though. It was a quiet evening, only two other tables were occupied, and there was just one waiter in the room right now. It was Bofur, much to Bilbo’s delight. When he turned back from the table he was waiting on, he noticed Annatar’s waving. He didn’t approach them to ask what was wrong, though. “Just a second”, he told them. “I’ll fetch my colleague.” He gave them a look that deemed Bilbo almost worried, and he wondered if something had happened.

 “Strange”, he mumbled, trying to break the silence. “I’ve known Bombur for such a long time, but I can’t remember that he ever messed up a single dish.”

“There’s a first time for everything”, the slender man replied absent-mindedly. His gaze was fixed on the door to the kitchen as if Thorin would appear quicker if he just frowned at it long enough. But it took more than some moments until he finally returned to them.

“The rice”, Annatar began as soon as the waiter stood at their table, “is over salted. It’s inedible.”

“I’m sorry to hear that”, Thorin remarked, although he didn’t sound as if he really meant it. “I’ll take it back into the kitchen, of course, and you’ll get a new dish.” While he took the plate with the fish, he turned to Bilbo. “And your food? Is everything alright?”

“It is, thank you for asking.” Bilbo looked onto his own plate before raising his gaze to meet Annatar’s. “Should I … wait for you to continue?”, he asked. After all, it was impolite to eat while the other was still waiting …

“Don’t worry about me”, he answered, his voice now warmer than when he had spoken to the waiter. “I’m sure it won’t take long.”

He was wrong. Bilbo had already finished his own meal when Thorin finally reappeared. He put the plate on the table and waited, standing still like a statue, his face unreadable.

Annatar eyed the dish suspiciously for a moment. This time, his face didn’t twist when he tried the rice … but it did so when he tasted the salmon.

“How much lemon did you actually put on it? It’s incredibly sour! No, no, don’t offer me a third try!”, he told Thorin when the waiter opened his mouth. “Two failures are more than enough.”

“I’m sorry, sir”, Thorin said. “Please allow me to bring you some desserts instead. It’s on the house, of course. Consider it … an apology. For the inconvenience.”

“That’s a lovely idea”, Bilbo interrupted, trying to sound as amiable as possible. The tension between the two men was almost palpable, and he felt uncomfortable. He could understand Annatar’s anger, but he also knew Bombur – it wasn’t like him to mess up a dish, especially not twice in a row. “May we know what our treat will be, or is it a surprise?”

There was a twinkle in Thorin’s eyes, and his voice regained his former softness as he answered: “Chocolate brownies with forest berry syrup. I’ll be back with them in a second.”

Annatar’s gaze followed the dark-haired waiter. “He seems to be more agreeable when it comes to you.”

“What?” Bilbo blushed heavily. “Th-that’s nonsense. You’re imagining things.”

A low chuckle. “Who can blame him? You’re charming, after all. I hope he doesn’t try to steal you away from me.” He sounded almost amused and reached across the table to cover Bilbo’s hand with his. He wasn’t sure why, but something about this touch made Bilbo want to withdraw his hand. Not that it didn’t feel nice, no, but … He wasn’t used to something like this. Being talked to like this, being caressed, being told that he was lovely – and now Annatar even claimed that he had caught Thorin’s attention!

The thought of Thorin being attracted to him, Bilbo of all people, made him blush right to the tip of his ears. He seemed somewhat rough, yet kind, not to mention his looks … His blue eyes, the dark hair, and his velvet voice were so delicious that he should be on the menu, and –

No, no, no! That was terribly wrong! He was on a date – with Annatar, mind you – and he shouldn’t think about someone else. It wasn’t fair to treat Annatar like this. Besides, Bilbo wasn’t so conceited to think that two men could be interested in him at the same time.

His hand must have twitched for Annatar gave it a squeeze. Bilbo looked into his face, and the smile he saw made his stomach twist with nervousness. Or … was it excitement?

“You’re a bit shy, aren’t you?”, Annatar whispered, a sparkle in his eyes. “That’s endearing. You look pretty with that blush on your face.”

“Pl-please”, Bilbo mumbled and lowered his gaze. His heart hammered against his chest, and he tried to concentrate on the napkin on his lap instead of Annatar’s presence.

That was why he didn’t see the incident coming.

He only heard footsteps coming nearer, the noise of something dragging over the floor, and then the chinking of crockery. A gasp, more clanking, and an only half-suppressed curse. Annatar’s hand on his was gone. The noise of a plate being smashed as it hit the floor. Bilbo looked up, and his mouth fell open.

Annatar’s grey suit was a mess. It was covered with a dark, sticky substance – chocolate sauce and berry syrup … and it wasn’t a small amount either. It would be a challenge to get that shirt clean again.

Thorin was standing next to their table, meeting Annatar’s enraged gaze calmly. He didn’t apologize, and Bilbo got the impression that it was a good idea to stay silent. Annatar’s pale eyes were burning, and even a sincere apology would probably only fan the flames.

Moments of uncomfortable silence passed before Annatar stood up abruptly – his chair almost fell over – and headed for the restroom without a remark or even a glance at Bilbo. Quietly, Thorin began to pick up the shards of the plates.

Bilbo blinked at him. Over salted food, a sour sauce, _and_ the dessert all over his date? Something was wrong in the _Copper Kettle_ , and he would find out what. Determined, he got up and made his way into the kitchen.

“Bombur?”, he called out as soon as he had entered. It was Bofur, however, who addressed him first.

“Hey, Bilbo”, he said cheerfully. “To what do we owe the honour of your visit in our sacred halls? Is something wrong?”

Bilbo snorted. “I wanted to ask you the same thing.” His voice was sharp in his own ears, but he couldn’t help it. “To begin with, there was an entire shaker of salt in my date’s food. Then, there’s so much lemon in his sauce that it would even wipe the smile off _your_ face, Bofur, and now he’s in the restroom trying to wipe our dessert off his clothes!”

“Sounds like an eventful evening”, Bofur remarked drily. “Just joking, Bilbo, just joking. But listen, laddie, I can’t tell you why this date of yours seems to be out of luck. Sometimes, weird things just happen – didn’t your father have a saying for situations like this? Third time pays for all?”

“I’m sure he wasn’t talking about bad luck”, Bilbo grumbled. A door on the other side of the kitchen opened, and Bombur came in, followed by his apprentice Ori.

“Hello, Bilbo”, he greeted without stopping. “Sorry, but I can’t talk to you right now.” With that, he already disappeared through another door.

“A big group of customers has just arrived”, Ori explained while hurrying after him. “Everything has to be perfect.”

Bilbo stared after them, blinking in confusion. Maybe today was just a weird day after all …

“Or maybe it isn’t bad luck at all”, Bofur said, and a broad grin appeared on his face. “Maybe it’s the new guy.” He nudged him with the elbow. “Perhaps he’s trying to put your date off.”

“Why should Thorin do such a thing?”

Bofur rolled his eyes. “Well, because he has a crush on you, you silly!”

“ _You_ are the silly”, Bilbo retorted.

“You’ve got no sense of romance”, Bofur said with a shake of his head. “Doesn’t it sound nice? A waiter falling helplessly in love with a guest, but having to witness how another guy is trying to court him … Ahem, if you like that kind of story, of course. But will you excuse me now? I should return to my customers.”

“Sure. I should go back to my date as well.”

When Bilbo entered the dining room, however, there was no sign of Annatar. He grimaced. Getting the mess of chocolate and berry syrup off his clothes would definitely take its time.

Bilbo went to their table, but before he could sit down, Thorin walked towards him.

“I’m sorry to tell you this”, he began, and Bilbo’s heart sank immediately, “but your acquaintance has just left.”

“Oh”, Bilbo made, failing to hide his disappointment. He knew that their date had been horrible, but that Annatar left without even telling him? But their chatter had been lovely, hadn’t it? Well, obviously not lovely enough. Otherwise Annatar would –

“He left you a message”, Thorin’s voice interrupted his gloomy thoughts. “He would like to see you again.” His face twitched. “Although in another restaurant. At the _Oak Hill_ tearoom, tomorrow at four.”

Tomorrow already? Bilbo’s face brightened up. Perhaps the date hadn’t been that horrible at all, if Annatar wanted to see him again so soon.

“Thanks for delivering me his message, Thorin. But I think I should leave now as well. Would you bring me the bill?”

“It’s on the house”, Thorin explained. “It’s the least we can do after all these … mishaps. But wait a second, please.” He returned only moments later, carrying a small box which he gave to Bilbo. “A chocolate brownie”, he said. “I see no reason why you shouldn’t enjoy one. After all, I promised you would get one.”

“That’s very sweet of you, thank you.”

With a smile, Bilbo left the _Copper Kettle_. When he was at home, relishing the taste of chocolate and forest berries, his mind was inevitably drawn to the look of blue eyes.

They weren’t pale, but dark and deep.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It isn't Thorin's way to pine after someone ... at least that's what he tells himself. But now, he finds himself trying to explain to Bilbo why he messed up his date on purpose. And it's not helpful at all that Bilbo is that endearing!

Maybe the idea wasn’t that good after all.

He was waiting for Bilbo in a little booth in the _Oak Hill_ tearoom, a beautiful room with an oriel window, lit by the evening sun. The table cloth was white and crisp, and the table was decorated with colourful oak leaves. If he closed his eyes, he could hear the rustling of the trees that gave the place its name – or he could have heard them if it wasn’t for the loud beating of his heart.

He was terribly nervous. He had managed to stay composed yesterday, but it had taken him great effort. His heart had beat like mad against his chest, his mouth had been dry, and his knees had been wobbly. All because of a pair of gentle eyes. And a sweet smile. And lovely curls. And freckles on a cute nose and – How could it be that one single person had so many endearing features? It wasn’t fair.

He reached for the rose-coloured, artfully folded napkin in front of him to rearrange it. Everything should be perfect, and Bilbo should feel comfortable. But the booth already looked perfect, and his adjusting of napkins and teaspoons was just to distract him.

One day. He had had a whole day to think about what he wanted to say to Bilbo, and he hadn’t come up with a single syllable. He should have waited longer, suggested a date for another day. But, and his stomach twisted horribly at this thought, if he had waited too long …

“This way, sir.” The voice of the waitress made him look up. And the next voice made his toes curl.

“Thank you.” Bilbo’s voice. Only a moment later, the small man stood in the doorway, an endearing smile on his face. But then he blinked, and confusion spread over his features while the smile slowly vanished.

“Thorin?”

He stood up and opened his mouth to say something, but closed it again before uttering anything. Bilbo frowned, and Thorin tried once more. “Let me explain. Please.” His face turned hot with embarrassment immediately. What a foolish way to start this conversation!

“An explanation.” Bilbo now glared at him, his hands resting on his hips. “Oh, I think you owe me an explanation for sure. Now would you be so kind and tell me what is going on here?” His voice got sharp. “When Bofur said you might be trying to put my date off” – Thorin clenched his fists; Bofur and his damned loose tongue! – “I told him he was talking nonsense. But now I find _you_ here instead of Annatar, and it was _you_ who told me to meet him here. Why are you playing games with me?”

“I’m not –“, Thorin began, nervously running a hand through his loose hair, but Bilbo wouldn’t let him speak.

“You _are_ up to something, don’t take me for a fool!” By now the small man almost hissed. But suddenly, he gave a sigh, and as he continued, his voice was quiet again as if this outburst had taken most of his strength. “I would have liked to get to know him better, you see? Annatar was charming.”

“Pretence.” The word was out before Thorin could stop it. His voice was filled with anger; it sounded strange to his own ears. For a moment, he and Bilbo stared at each other before Thorin had to lower his gaze.

“Pretence”, Bilbo echoed. “What do you mean?”

Thorin sat down and kept silent. Why did he have to be so hot-heated? Now he had done the one thing he had wanted to avoid at all cost. He didn’t want to tell Bilbo his point of view. He didn’t want to hurt him.

But it was too late, Bilbo’s curiosity was woken. “Thorin”, he said, his voice urgent. “Tell me. Tell me what has happened. I think you owe me the truth. Please.”

Thorin looked up to see that Bilbo had sat down in the meanwhile. But he was leaning forward, his upper arms were resting on the table, his whole body expressing unrest. His gaze was piercing, almost demanding. But there was also a plea in the depth of his eyes, an appeal not to leave him in the dark any longer. His words would draw a veil over those eyes, and yet Thorin couldn’t refuse.

And so he began to explain.

 

***

 

Thorin didn’t consider himself a romantic.

He didn’t believe in what movies and books called soulmates, and the concept of love at first sight deemed him unrealistic. Love – that was something great, all-embracive, life-changing. How could something like that happen in a mere second?

He couldn’t deny, however, that the man with the golden-brown curls enchanted him at first sight. It were his eyes, he realized dreamily – dreamily! Thorin couldn’t remember the last time he had used this word to describe his mood. The warmth he saw in their hazel depth almost made him forget that he was supposed to work. It took him some moments to gather his wits together and to introduce himself to the customers, and it was hard to actually keep them together when the small man started to chat friendly with him. But the coughing and the severe look of his companion jolted Thorin out of his day dreams … at least a bit.

From the scraps of conversation he gathered, his customer – Bilbo – didn’t only look charming, but had a captivating personality as well. He remembered Bombur mentioning the name once or twice, and he had called him a good friend. He seemed to come to the _Copper Kettle_ from time to time. Maybe he could talk to him next time –

It wasn’t his way to pine after someone, though. Moreover, Thorin was reasonable enough to see the absurdity of his musings. Bilbo was on a date, after all, and from what he could see it was going well. The other guy was too sleek for his taste, but Bilbo was visibly beaming, and for Thorin that meant putting any fancies aside.

It was easier said than done, especially when the most important element of those fancies bumped into him.

“I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to –”

“Please, don’t apologize”, Thorin reassured him. His heart raced – not alone from their sudden collision, but from the feeling of a soft form that had been pressed against his body as well. Bilbo was still standing very close to him, and the light of the wall lamp gilded his face: golden curls, blooming cheeks, and eyes now the colour of amber.

He quickly reached for his hair tie to cover his nervousness. “I should know better than to tie back my hair just around a corner.” He smiled – a polite smile, that kind a waiter showed to his customer, nothing more … he hoped. “I hope everything is to your full satisfaction so far?”

“It is. It’s a pleasant evening. Thank you.” His voice was almost shaking with happiness.

The sound of it was still echoing in Thorin’s ears as he returned into the main room. Nonetheless he was determined only to think of Bilbo as a customer … or maybe it was _because_ of the joy in this voice that led to this resolution. The man with the short blonde hair – Annatar, he remembered the name from the booking – was obviously captivating and charming, and Bilbo was fond of him. And that was what mattered … not what Thorin might feel.

Besides – what could he offer Bilbo? He wasn’t creative and independent like him, nor a smart businessman like Annatar in his fancy suit. He was only a waiter, trying to earn enough money to live his own life and to support his widowed sister and their children. It was impossible that he could make Bilbo smile like that.

But somehow he knew that Bilbo didn’t need costly gifts or dinners in exclusive restaurants. He seemed to be someone who preferred small acts of kindness instead: a flower tucked behind his ear, maybe, or a kiss on the back of his hand …

As he realized in which direction his thoughts were wandering, Thorin suppressed a growl. Just what was wrong with him? He had never acted like that before! Dís would laugh herself silly if she could see him like this.

To distract himself he grabbed the first thing within his reach. It was a tray of cutlery – it had just come out of the dishwasher and had to be stowed away. He sighed. The dresser was in a corner of the dining room, only separated from Bilbo’s and Annatar’s table by a number of lush plants. So much about distraction.

He went on his way nonetheless. Of course he found himself looking for a head of golden-brown curls. But Bilbo hadn’t returned yet, there was only Annatar. The slender man was speaking to someone on his smartphone. Thorin tried his best to ignore him while putting away forks, knives, and spoons. However, one word reached his ears, and – as had already happened several times this evening – his resolution was gone.

The word was ‘boring’.

“Well, how you imagine someone who writes poetry”, Annatar continued, his amused voice a strange contrast to his words. Thorin couldn’t see his face from where he stood, but he was sure that he wouldn’t like its expression. “Sensitive, naïve, timid … Simply a dreamer. I won’t invite him a second time.” A pause, then a short laugh. “I won’t leave at once, mind you. I’m in the mood for some fun tonight, and he’s rather pretty. Bit chubby maybe, but I like how he blushes whenever I make him a compliment. I wonder how much he will blush when –” Another pause. “It sounds vulgar when you say it like that. One-night stand, how indecent. And don’t make fun of my preferences, or we’ll talk about yours!”

Thorin struggled to actually comprehend what he had just heard. The words echoed through his head. _Boring. A dreamer. Some fun tonight._ That had to be a crude joke. _One-night stand._ He grit his teeth as the meaning of those words finally sank in. That smooth-talking, slimy, disgusting hypocrite! He was just telling Bilbo – Bilbo! – compliments to lure him into his bed – so he could kick him out of it in the morning, and then forget him! As if he was nothing more than ... than some toy!

 _Just try_ , Thorin thought grimly. _We’ll see if you’re still that smug when dinner’s over._

The cutlery was forgotten, and he determinedly went back into the kitchen.

Bombur was just arranging Bilbo’s and Annatar’s food on plates. He looked up as he heard Thorin entering. “Good timing”, he began, but stopped in his preparations as soon as he saw the waiter’s face. “Goodness, Thorin, did something happen? You look as if you’re going to war.”

“Bombur”, he said as calmly as he could, but his voice was trembling with suppressed anger, “I know how much you love your work, and how proud you are of the _Copper Kettle_. I wouldn’t do this if it wasn’t absolutely necessary … Please, look away so I can take the blame for everything, and you won’t be bothered.”

The cook frowned. “Stop being so dramatic and tell me what’s going on already.”

He hesitated. “I have to put somebody off … Bilbo’s date.” Bombur looked at him surprise, obviously waiting for him to continue. “That guy, Annatar – I overheard him on the phone. He’s just playing with Bilbo, trying to charm him so he can throw him away after … after he had his fun.”

“What?” Bombur immediately stomped to the door and took a glance into the restaurant’s main room. “So you’re telling me that guy over there is trying to seduce our Bilbo?”

There came another “what?” from behind them, and both turned to see Bofur. He had just entered the kitchen through the side door, and now he stared at them in disbelief. It only lasted a moment, though, and he joined them in watching the main room. “Bilbo looks rather jolly … But it’s their first date, isn’t it? I always thought he was more the romantic type, you know, holding hands and getting to know each other and a few shy kisses …”

The three of them watched as Annatar leaned forward to have a closer look at Bilbo, and Thorin’s stomach twisted at the sight. “That guy’s turning on his charm for his own amusement, nothing more. He doesn’t care about Bilbo. He even called him one-night stand.”

“And now he’s acting all like Prince Charming?” Bofur huffed and turned to Thorin. “You heard everything, haven’t you? Go and tell Bilbo!”

“How do you imagine that?”, Thorin growled. “Annatar will deny everything, of course! It’s my word against his, and why should Bilbo believe me? Besides”, he hesitated, “what should I say? I can’t tell him that his date is only so lovely because he wants to – It would hurt him.”

Bombur and Bofur stayed silent, and the three of them left their position at the door.

“So”, Bofur finally said, “what’s your plan?”

Thorin showed a wry smile. “Make this date an unforgettable one. Would you pass me the salt, please?”

The cook flinched visibly as Thorin poured at least half of the salt shaker on the rice on Annatar’s plate. Bofur, on the other hand, showed a broad grin.

“That’s the plan, eh? Screwing up their date until Annatar gets fed up and shows his real face?”

“Or leaves”, Thorin grumbled. “I don’t care as long as he keeps his hands off Bilbo.”

Annatar, however, proved to be quite adamant. The glares he shot at Thorin were icy, but whenever he turned to Bilbo, his voice was smooth again. It took a load of salt, a ridiculously long waiting time, and two whole lemons until his mask of charming manners began to show the first cracks.

“Bringing the big guns in, are you?”, Bofur commented idly as Thorin passed him, carrying two plates with chocolate brownies and forest berry syrup. “All is fair in love and war …”

“Just be quiet, Bofur”, Thorin mumbled and returned to his customers.

The mixture of chocolate sauce and sticky syrup was too much, even for someone as enduring as Annatar. Thorin watched with cold satisfaction how the slender man stared at his messed-up suit before abruptly standing up and heading for the restroom.

Thorin began to pick up the shards. He avoided looking at Bilbo. After all, he must think that their clumsy waiter had ruined what could have been a lovely date, and Thorin didn’t want to see him disappointed or angry.

Therefore he sighed with relief as Bilbo headed into the kitchen instead of talking to him. And, much to his amusement, even Annatar refrained from confronting him. It didn’t take long until the man with the pale blue eyes returned. His grey suit was still covered with dark stains of chocolate and syrup. He shot a glare at Thorin, but didn’t say anything and went to the exit straightaway. Thorin didn’t know if he should be glad that he left without another word to Bilbo, or if he should scowl at such a lack of decency.

But every sense of victory he might have felt vanished into thin air as Bilbo returned. The small man searched for his date, and disappointment clouded his face when he noticed that Annatar had gone without even telling him.

Thorin approached him and quickly began: “I’m sorry to tell you this, but your acquaintance has just left.”

“Oh”, Bilbo made, slouching his shoulders.

“He left you a message”, Thorin said before he could think better of it. “He would like to see you again. Although in another restaurant. At the _Oak Hill_ tearoom, tomorrow at four.”

Bilbo’s face brightened up, and Thorin couldn’t help smiling at him in turn. His mind, however, was racing.

One day. He had one day to come up with an idea how to tell Bilbo the truth without … well, without telling him the _whole_ truth. It wasn’t much time, but he couldn’t wait too long. If Annatar should try to contact him once more … No, he couldn’t take that risk.

One day should be enough to come up with some idea.

 

***

 

Silence followed Thorin’s story, and it lay heavy upon them. The rustling of oak leaves was almost piercing in the booth.

Bilbo had listened to him without interrupting once, and Thorin had kept talking. He had only paused when the waitress had appeared, putting a teapot and delicate china cups in front of them before retreating with a smile. But neither of them had even looked at the beverage.

Right now Bilbo didn’t seem to see anything at all. He was staring on the white table cloth in front of him. He was slumped on his seat, his fingers intertwined with such strength that his knuckles were white. His beautiful eyes were full of sorrow.

Thorin in turn had only eyes for Bilbo. Seeing him so downcast made his heart ache, and he cursed himself. Why hadn’t he been able to come up with some other explanation for yesterday evening? Some story that didn’t involve his charming date calling him a boring one-night stand. He was such a fool –

“I’m such a fool.”

Bilbo’s voice was so quiet it took Thorin a moment to realize that he had spoken at all. “Annatar … He was right to call me naïve. I was deluded by his compliments. Of course I knew they were exaggerated, but I was flattered nonetheless …But in truth he only thought me nice enough to look at to warm his bed for one night, but too boring for a second date.” He wrapped his arms around himself. “And the worst thing is: I might have gone with him, or invited him home, if he had asked. I … I felt understood and appreciated. I felt special because of him. But it was all lies. I …” He didn’t continue, but slowly glanced up. Suddenly a half-choked laugh came over his lips. “What’s with that furious look on _your_ face? He lied to me to get me into his bed, so shouldn’t _I_ be angry?”

“I’m sorry”, Thorin said after taking a deep breath. “I wish there would have been a way to explain my actions to you without making you sad. And I wish I were a better comfort now. But how this guy treated you makes me furious. That miserable rake! You deserve better.”

Bilbo looked at him thoughtfully for long moments. “How could you know?”, he asked quietly. “How could you know that I’m not … like him? Another rake, only interested in a light-minded night? How could you know that I would be worth all the trouble?”

Thorin lowered his gaze bashfully. “Your eyes”, he answered. Gathering his courage, he looked up again. “You don’t have the eyes of someone like that. They’re warm and gentle and full of soul and … and they tell me that you _are_ special. You deserve somebody who fulfils your every wish.”

“Somebody … like you?”

The question was asked in a soft, almost timid voice. Bilbo looked at him through his eyelashes, and a light blush was on his cheeks. His lips were slightly parted, as if he wanted to add something, but he stayed silent. He only looked at Thorin in a way that made him forget everything else around them.   

“I –” Suddenly, Thorin’s mouth felt very dry. He found himself reaching for Bilbo’s hand. But he remembered how Annatar had done the same yesterday, and he contained himself. He didn’t want to hassle him. It was almost too late for such restraint, and the tips of his fingers brushed the back of Bilbo’s hand nonetheless. “I would like to show you. If … if you want.”

He watched in amazement how Bilbo placed his smaller hand on his. Thorin’s heart raced as he looked into his eyes. Hazel, dappled with amber drops, and a warmth that made his belly tingle. Finally he was allowed to look into this lovely face openly. He drank in its endearing features: the gentle eyes, the freckles on the nose, the way his lips curled into a soft smile.

And how they parted to say in a sweet voice: “I think I would like that very much.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! If you liked this story, please consider leaving a comment as well - your kind words always make me smile :)  
> Aaand another big hug to Nerdeeart and badskippy - I love waiter!Thorin so much :D

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by NerDee's waiter [NerDee's glorious waiter!Thorin](http://nerdeeart.tumblr.com/post/157633463961/aquilea-of-the-lonely-mountain). Go and read [Badskippy's AU](http://archiveofourown.org/works/9979064/chapters/22289279) as well, it's hilarious!! We both got inspired by this AU, and reading the version of a fellow shipper turned out to be really inspiring for me. Thanks again to both of you! :D
> 
> A quick note on names: I found it terribly difficult to come up with a name for Bilbo's not-so-nice blind date, so while writing I decided to use a kind of placeholder ... Annatar. And yes, it's one of the names of Sauron. At first I chose it as some kind of symbol for "a foul spirit in a fair form", but I started to like it and kept it. I'm not saying that our Bilbo is blind-dating the modern version of a great evil - but honestly: If you're threatening to get one part of your OTP together with someone wrong, you have to think BIG XD


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